The Turtle and the Monster
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Don was never one to get angry, but after he undergoes a secondary mutation, he begins to fear that he will become this monster again. Can his family help him through it? A 2003 series story.
1. Chapter 1

The Turtle and the Monster

Chapter 1: Sick

A/N: Taking a bit of a break from my Nickelodeon stories to bring you this 2003 series story about Don's secondary mutation and how he handles it and the aftermath of it. For those waiting for an update to my other story, I'll have it when I get inspiration, but sometimes taking a break and writing something else is a good thing to do so you don't get stuck, and that's what I'm doing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story and I just hope I can keep going at it and not leave you guys in limbo. If I do, then I apologize in advance.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. The 2003 Turtles belong to Mirage Studios. I only own the plot of this story and nothing more.

Summary: Don was never one to get angry, but after he undergoes a secondary mutation, he begins to fear that he will become this monster again. Can his family help him through it? A 2003 series story.

Donatello hated being sick.

He had been fighting a cold for months and was surprised that it hadn't gone away. He had done everything he could think of even taking some of his father's dreaded medicine that tasted like something that had died in the garbage, but even that hadn't cured it. What was going on?

He was in bed reading a book because his joints were aching again. His brothers were supposed to go out on a mission, and Don hoped they'd take him along because they needed him. He paused as he read a paragraph about Frankenstein's monster and how it had killed a victim. Man, that guy had been crazy! Even though they were ninjas, the Turtles made it a policy never to kill unless it was absolutely necessary. Yes, they had all killed at some point, but Don had been uneasy about it and always thought there were better solutions than that.

He marked his place and jumped out of bed when he heard his brothers getting ready. He got his gear and made his way downstairs where his brothers were about to go out.

"Donnie, you should stay here," Leo said.

"I want to come along, Leo," Don insisted. "You guys may need me."

"You're sick, Donnie," Leo replied. "You need to stay home."

"Leo, I'm fine!" Don protested. "I can come along."

"Let the Brainiac go," Raph said. "You know you won't hear the end of it unless he does."

Leo sighed. "Okay, Donnie, but if you're not up for it, I want you to come back home. Got it?"

"Got it," Don answered.

"Great," Leo said. "Let's go."

They piled into the Battle Shell and left for their mission. Don seemed fine, but then he began to feel nauseous. Okay, that hadn't happened before. Wait, maybe it would pass if he just took deep breaths. He did so, but the nausea got worse. He ended up vomiting after Mikey told a gross story about something Andrew Zimmern was eating on that Bizarre Foods show Mikey enjoyed watching.

"Ewww!" Mikey yelped. "Leo, Don just barfed!"

"I'll be fine," moaned Don. "I think that's the last of it."

"I say we turn around and take Donnie home," Raph suggested.

Leo shook his head. "There's no time. We have to keep going or we'll never stop those bugs. We'll take Donnie to April's. She can take care of him."

At the prospect of being nursed by April O'Neil, Don's mood lightened considerably, and he smiled to himself as they headed to her apartment.

But that happiness was short-lived when he saw that Casey Jones was there. What was he doing there? And why was he all dressed up? Was he going to propose to April? Don wasn't sure if he could handle that.

Leo explained what had happened and asked if April could watch Donnie. She agreed as did Casey though the man didn't look happy about it. She urged Don to lie down, and Casey covered him with a blanket and urged him to rest which Don tried to do. The lights went out, and Casey went down to find a flashlight but tripped on something. April had been sitting by Don's side but let out an exasperated sigh and went to go make sure Casey was okay.

Once again, Don was disappointed that April had been taken from him, but that changed as horrible pain started radiating from his knee. Don gasped and tried to call for April, but she didn't hear him. He continued to scream as the pain increased and his bones began changing as he began changing. As soon as it was over, he had grown taller and definitely didn't feel the same as sharp teeth replaced the ones he'd had in his mouth before. He looked around and then blinked as April and Casey came up the stairs.

The last words he uttered were, "Help me" before his mind was completely taken over by the monster he had now become.

A/N: And I'm going to end the chapter here. It's a bit short, but I had to end it there because it was fitting. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but I'll do my best not to leave you guys hanging for too long. And I hate the show Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. Just too gross for my tastes. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Feed Me More

A/N: So here's the next chapter in this little tale. Now we'll see Don's thoughts as the monster he has become. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me, and I'm grateful that you're enjoying this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter, too.

Guest: I'm glad you like this story so far. No, I didn't know that. I just know what I saw in the show, and it was a very subtle thing. But that sucks that it was cut out. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. The 2003 Turtles are property of Mirage Studios. I only own the plot and nothing more.

He was so hungry.

His eyes roved around the room, searching for anything that he could eat. He heard footsteps and saw two humans come into the room. He sniffed and smiled to himself. Yes, they would do for food. He sniffed again and thought the woman smelled even better than the man, so he would go for her first.

He lunged for her, and she dodged and began running. He ran as fast as he could to catch her because he needed to eat. His body craved the food. A nagging voice in his head pleaded with him to stop, but he didn't do it. He couldn't succumb to that voice. He needed to eat.

He had her cornered and his mouth filled with saliva at the prospect of feasting on her. But suddenly, the man came back and interfered with his meal.

"Hey, that's my girlfriend and you can't have her!" the man yelled as he swung at the monster.

He growled in rage. How dare this man interfere with his meal! He swiped at the man, but the man got in a good hit. The other voice kept begging with him to flee, and he knew that he had to. He was no match for this man. He would seek food elsewhere. He tore a hole in the wall and made his way into the sewers.

Once there, he sniffed around. What could he eat? As he was searching he saw some other life forms coming his way. Yes, they smelled good! He made his way to them and tried to attack them, but they fought him off and begged him not to hurt them. Who were they? Why did they call him Donnie? Was that his name?

Before he could puzzle this out, a glass container was put over him, blocking him from reaching the appetizing life forms. No! This couldn't happen now!

He banged on the glass and roared in rage. He needed food! He was hungry!

He felt them dragging him away. Where were they taking him? Would they feed him? What were they planning on doing? He could hear them soothing him, telling him it was going to be okay and that they would fix this. But why? He didn't want to be fixed. He wanted to eat them. He wanted to see their bodies consumed in his jaws as their bones were crushed beneath him.

The dragging stopped, and he found himself in a room. He began to bang on the glass again, roaring in rage. Why didn't they let him out? He was tired of being in here! One of the beings, a Rat, came up to his glass prison and laid a hand on it, his face full of sorrow.

"My son," he said in a broken voice.

But the monster didn't register that. He continued to bang on the glass, wanting to come out and rip this Rat to shreds because he smelled so good. But he wasn't getting free any time soon. No matter. He would bide his time.

After some discussion, the others left, and he found himself alone. He stopped roaring and banging on the glass since it didn't do any good. He was stuck here, and he was going to have to just wait and see what happened next. With a sigh, he lapsed into sleep, hoping that when he woke, things would be better.

22222

Voices awoke him, and he saw the mutant family coming into the room. Once again, the smells overpowered him, and his mouth filled with saliva. He wanted to eat. He needed to eat!

One of the mutants came over to him with a tray filled with things he couldn't identify. A door in his prison opened, and the mutant carefully pushed the tray in.

"Here you go, Donnie," the mutant said in a cheerful voice. "Your favorite. Just like you have every day."

He looked at the food, but it smelled horrible! Yet, the mutant smelled so good! With a roar, he latched onto the mutant's leg and tried to pull him into the unit with him. Oh, how he would enjoy feasting on this young one! But the others interfered and pulled the young one away. He roared in rage, wanting nothing more than to tear them limb from limb. Once again, the Rat came up and tried to calm him. He fought, but then he somehow succumbed to the Rat's bidding and calmed down. What had just happened?

There was more discussion and then they dragged him away and put him in a helicopter of some sort. What was going on? Why was he there? He waited as it lifted off, hoping there would be an opportunity to strike out at his enemies, but there was no time for that. He was helpless, and he hated it.

The others still tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. He didn't want to hear their voices. He wanted to eat them! He was still hungry and there was no food for him to eat! With one last growl, he lapsed into sleep again. None of this was fair.

22222

When he woke up, they had arrived at their destination. It was some sort of building. A man came out, and something at the back of his mind told him he should have known this man, but he couldn't think of how he knew him. There was some discussion and then they went inside. At one point the man opened his containment unit, and he smiled. He was free! He lunged out, ready to eat anyone in his way, but then another monstrous being thwarted him. They grappled, and he was determined to win against this foe and take him down. The fight continued until he heard a noise and felt the pricks of thousands of objects going into his skin. He tried to get rid of them, but he was weakening and slowly slid into blackness.

22222

He awoke inside the containment unit once again. The man was there talking to the being who had fought him. The being didn't trust the man to give them some sort of cure, but the man kept saying it was the only way and that the Turtles had better deliver what he asked.

He puzzled this out, wondering what was going on and why these Turtles had gone away from him. What were they seeking? Did they want to help him?

It took some time, but the Turtles finally came back and declared they were successful. The man was pleased, but stated he didn't have the cure for them. They were angry and were ready to take him down, but then he gave in and gave them the cure before telling them they were going to be blown up if they didn't leave.

He felt the unit being carried again and loaded onto the helicopter. Smoke filled the chamber, causing him to cough. His body began changing again, but there wasn't the blinding pain as there had been before. Slowly, he came back to himself as the change became complete.

The monster was gone.

Hamato Donatello was back.

"Hey, guys," he said. "What's happening?" He tried to walk, but was too weak and nearly fell until Leatherhead caught him.

"I have you, my friend," he said gently as he led Donnie to a seat.

"I hope you guys didn't go to too much trouble for me," he said after he heard what had happened. He could see the guilty looks on some of their faces, but then Mikey gave him a smile.

"Naaah," he said.

Don knew his brother was lying, but he was too tired to think about any of that. They arrived home, and the Turtles immediately helped Donnie to the infirmary where Leatherhead gave him an examination and deemed the cure had worked. Then Leo helped Donnie into his room and into bed after setting a book aside.

"Leo, what happened?" he asked. "How did you get the cure?"

"Don't worry about that now, Donnie," Leo said gently. "We'll explain after you've had some rest."

Don wanted to protest this, but he knew that Leo was right. He was tired and felt like he needed to sleep. With a sigh, Don lapsed into sleep and hoped that his brothers would be honest with him.

22222

"Is he asleep?" Splinter asked when Leo joined everyone in the living area.

"Yes. He wants to know what happened, but I told him we'd tell him everything when he's rested."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Leo?" Mikey asked. "Maybe Donnie's better off not knowing what happened to him and what we had to do. If we tell him, he may feel guilty about all of it."

"But if we don't tell him, he's just going to keep asking questions," Leo pointed out. "We can't keep it from him, Mikey."

"Leo's right," Raph said. "We owe it to Donnie to tell him the truth. We always said that as kids that we'd never lie to each other. We ain't startin' now."

"Yes, honesty is the best policy, my sons," Splinter added. "It is best for Donatello to know the facts of what happened."

"But what if it makes him sad?" Mikey asked. "We already dealt with Angsty Leo. Can we really deal with Angsty Donnie, too?"

"If Donnie does get depressed or angry, we can handle it," Leo replied, letting the remark Mikey made about him roll off his back. "The Ancient One taught me a lot of different ways to help with all of that. If anything, I can show Donnie and it will help him."

"That is a wise idea, Leonardo," Splinter praised his son. "I am sure Donatello will appreciate it. But for now, we should all get some rest. It has been a trying day for all of us."

The Turtles bowed to their father and separated to go to their rooms. Leo checked in on Donnie and saw that he was fast asleep. He still couldn't get the images of his brother's rampage out of his head, nor could he forget about shooting him with all of those darts. Shaking his head to rid himself of the images, Leo went to his room and drifted off to sleep, hoping that this was the end of the nightmare.

A/N: And that's the end of the second chapter. I was originally going to stop it before he was restored but decided to keep going and just let it end where it is. Not sure when the next chapter will be out, but I'll do my best not to leave you guys hanging. If I do leave you hanging for some reason, I apologize in advance and promise that if I lapse on this story, I will eventually return to it. I don't want that to happen, but it sometimes does happen with me and is very frustrating. With that said, feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Horrid Truth

A/N: So here's the next chapter as promised. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means the world to me that you're enjoying this story and that it has resonated with you. I must say, it feels good to write about the 2003 series again. And now without further ado, here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. The 2003 Turtles are the property of Mirage Studios. I only own the plot of the story and nothing more.

Don woke up and felt much better than he had last night. Stretching his muscles, he got out of bed and made his way downstairs, hoping that Mikey would have something for him to eat since he was hungry. He found Leo in the living room reading a book.

"Hey, Donnie, how are you feeling?" Leo asked.

"Much better," Don answered. "I'm pretty hungry though."

Leo smiled. "Mikey's in the kitchen. I'm sure he'll have something for you to eat."

Don nodded and went to the kitchen where his orange-clad brother was busy making breakfast for the family.

"Hey, Mikey, what are we having for breakfast?" Don asked. "I'm starving."

Mikey's eyes widened in fear at his brother's words. "You're not hungry for our flesh this time, are you?" he asked, his voice quivering a little as he spoke.

Don was taken aback by his brother's words. Had he really been that bad? "No, of course not," he answered. "I just want regular food."

Mikey sighed in relief. "Phew! For a moment there, I thought I was gonna have to run for my life. So, what do you want, bro?"

"Whatever you have will be fine," Don answered.

Mikey smiled. "You got it, Donnie. One order of bacon and eggs coming up."

Don's other brothers and Splinter arrived next and waited while Mikey made breakfast for them. Once it was done, they all dug in. Don savored the taste and was grateful that they had such a good cook in the family. He was still burning with a desire to know what happened to him and how his brothers had saved him, but he knew he couldn't do anything right now. He would wait until after practice.

After breakfast the four Turtles assembled in the dojo. Don smiled as he did some stretches, ready to get back into practicing now that he was better.

"Donatello, you will sit out," Splinter instructed.

Don gaped at his father. "But, Sensei, I'm feeling good!" he protested. "I'm just as capable of practicing as the others!"

Splinter shook his head. "You are still healing from your ordeal, and it would be prudent if you sat out of the exercises for now. You still need your rest."

Don opened his mouth to protest, but a stern look from his father silenced him. With a defeated sigh, he trudged to the sidelines and sat next to Splinter. Mikey gave him a look of sympathy which Don appreciated, but he didn't want their pity. He wanted to fight as he always did. He sat and watched as Splinter led them through some warm-up exercises, wishing he could be out there. How much longer was this going to last? Was he could going to be barred from practicing forever? And what about patrols? Would he be forced to stay down with his father while his brothers went out to fight?

Once the warm-ups were done, Splinter paired Raph and Leo together to fight while Mikey sat out with Donnie since he didn't have a partner.

"Sensei, that's not fair," Don said. "I can spar with Mikey."

"I think I made myself perfectly clear, Donatello," Splinter said firmly. "You are not to engage in any sort of physical activity at the moment. You are still healing."

"And I told you that I'm fine!" Don argued.

"But we do not know if you will lapse back into your other state," Splinter told him.

Don rolled his eyes. "Oh, so are you a doctor now?" he sniped. "I was cured, Sensei. I'm fine. I should be allowed to fight."

"And I am your father and sensei, and what I say goes," Splinter retorted. "And may I remind you, Donatello, that before you ever learned about medicine or anything else, I was the one who took care of all four of you when you were small. So, yes, I do have some knowledge of things, and I am going to make sure you are healed first before you are cleared to train. Now, I will hear no more about it."

Don huffed and turned away. This was definitely the worst day of his life.

Mikey nudged him. "Sorry it's like that, bro," he said. "But you know Splinter's just worried about you. We all are."

"Yeah, but you guys act as though I'm going to suddenly mutate before your eyes," Don replied. "It's just not what I want. I want to be normal, Mikey. I want to do things like I used to."

"And you will, bro," Mikey reassured him. "You just have to give it some time."

But Don didn't want to give it some time. He wanted to do the things he normally did. Practice ended, and everyone dispersed. Splinter approached Don, but before he could say anything, Don spoke up.

"Guys, I want to meet in the living room," he said. "I have some questions I want answers to."

Splinter nodded, and they all headed to the living area. Once they were all seated, Leo asked, "So, what's this all about, Donnie?"

"I want to know what happened to me," Don replied. "I know you obtained a cure, but I want to know how you did it."

The Turtles and Splinter looked at each other and communicated through some unspoken signals. Don waited while Leo took a deep breath and then spoke.

"You underwent a secondary mutation," the blue-clad Turtle began. "We had no way to obtain a cure, so we went to Agent Bishop. He promised us a cure but only if we retrieved an artifact from Karai. We did that, and at first, Bishop wasn't going to give us the cure, but he did with Leatherhead's help. We cured you and then went home."

Don's mouth gaped open, and horrible guilt coursed through him. His brothers had made two deals with two devils in order to cure him. They had allied with two of their worst enemies to save his life!

He bowed his head. "I'm so sorry I put you through that," he whispered.

"It wasn't your fault, Donnie," Raph soothed. "You would have done the same for us."

"No, I wouldn't have!" he snapped. "I would have found a way to cure you without resorting to making deals with enemies! This just proves that I'm a weak link in the team. Without me, you guys will fall apart!"

"No, we won't," Leo reassured.

"And you're not going anywhere, Donnie," Mikey said gently. "You're here."

"But what if I'm not?" Don whispered. "What if something happens, and I'm gone?"

"We'll make sure that doesn't happen," Leo reassured him.

"It may not be enough," Don said.

"What are you talking about, my son?" Splinter asked him.

Don took a deep breath and let it out. "I know you guys talked about where Ultimate Drako sent you, but I didn't. I was sent to a future where Shredder ruled. You guys weren't together, and the Donatello of that world had been gone for thirty years. So I banded you guys together and we defeated Shredder, but in the end…it wasn't enough. You guys were killed, and I was alone! This is what I mean, guys. I don't know if that Donatello abandoned them or if he died, but either way, it wasn't a good thing!"

The others sat in stunned silence, hardly daring to believe what Don just told him. Finally, Leo spoke up.

"It was just an alternate reality, Donnie," he soothed. "Now that we know what happened, we can prevent it from becoming a reality. You're here with us now, and you're not going anywhere."

"But I could have," Don reminded him. "If you guys hadn't found the cure, I could have died or killed you before that."

"Do not dwell on what could have been, Donatello," Splinter said wisely. "You are here now, and you are safe. That is all that matters. The important thing is that you heal so you can be your old self again. I know you are not happy with what I have said, but just remember that I am protecting you from yourself and from any harm that may befall you or your brothers."

Don sighed. "I know, Master Splinter, and I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier," he apologized. "This is just so frustrating!"

"I understand, my son," Splinter replied, putting a paw on his son's shoulder. "We will deal with this the best way that we can."

Don bowed and retreated to his lab. He was so tired of all of this! And what hurt him the most was what his brothers had been forced to do to save him! Well, no more. Don was going to make sure he was the best ever and that he would never have to be saved again. With this aim in view, Don decided that at night he was going to train in secret. He was never going to be the weak link that cost him his family! And once he was able to, he was going to make sure Bishop and Karai paid for what they'd put them through!

A/N: And another chapter comes to a close. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Monsters

A/N: So here's the next chapter. I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. I'm so glad you're enjoying this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. The 2003 Turtles are property of Mirage Studios. I only own the plot and nothing more.

"You don't have to feel guilty, my friend. I know what it is like to be a monster."

Don stared at Leatherhead as they sat in his home and shook his head. "You're not a monster, Leatherhead," he said. "You just have a temper problem, but you're getting over that. And I'm not guilty about the mutation because that wasn't my fault. I'm guilty that my brothers and you had to make a deal with two of our biggest enemies to save me."

"But you do not have to feel guilty about that either. We did what we had to do to save you. You would have done the same for one of us."

"No, I would have found the cure," Don answered. "I hate Bishop! I really want to teach him a lesson after what he did! It's his fault that I was mutated in the first place!"

"That would be unwise, Donatello," Leatherhead told him. "You cannot go seeking out Bishop. He could hurt you or worse."

Don sighed. "I know that, Leatherhead, but I want to. I just hate what he's done to us."

"I do as well, Donatello, but there is nothing you can do. Please put it out of your mind."

Don nodded and their conversation drifted to other subjects. But back in his mind, Don's hatred continued and he knew he'd have to act on it soon.

22222

Home was very quiet as Don entered. He headed to his room and sat on his bed, picking up the copy of _Frankenstein_ that April had given him. He continued to read, and as he did, he began to see something. Bishop was just as twisted, if not more so, than Victor Frankenstein as he played with his creations. And he had made Donnie a monster because of those creations and what they did to him! Sure, Frankenstein's motives were pure curiosity to see if creating life would work, but Bishop's motives were anything but curiosity. It was more of a vindictive fascination and a sadistic longing that satiated him. And because of his games, Don had been the victim.

Don needed to go after him, but he knew what his family would say. They would tell him it was a lost cause and that he shouldn't try it. He could just hear their voices.

Leo would say, "No, Donnie, it's not worth it. Leave it be."

Raph would say, "You're nuts for tryin' to take him out."

Mikey would beg, "No, Donnie, don't do it. You'll get killed."

Splinter would plead, "Please let this go, Donatello. Revenge is not the answer to your problems."

But they didn't understand what was going on. Don had to do this. He had to make things right.

He snuck down to the dojo and did some quick training before going to bed. He attacked the punching bag furiously, imagining it to be Agent Bishop. He was afraid his family would hear him, but they didn't, and that made him feel better. After a few rounds, Don settled to sleep.

One way or another, he was going to have his revenge whether his family liked it or not.

22222

Agent John Bishop prided himself on being intelligent. He was a good agent, and though he often messed around with things that he shouldn't, it was always for the greater good. He remembered what the aliens had done to him and how they had treated him. He knew he had to do all he could to get over that, but it was hard. Dealing with mutants was even harder than that. The Turtles had been a thorn in his side since he'd met them.

And yet, they had sought his aid when Donatello was mutated into a hideous monster. He had wanted to kill the abomination, but an idea had formed in his head and he had declared a bargain with the freaks. They had agreed and had given him what he'd wanted in exchange for aid for their brother. And though Bishop had given them the cure and was glad he'd had what he wanted, he knew the partnership wouldn't last. They would be after him again, and when they did come, he would be ready for them.

A noise drew his attention, and he turned around only come face to face with Donatello himself. How had he gotten in?

"What are you doing here?" Bishop demanded.

"I'm here for some payback," Don answered. "I'm here to finish what you started."

Bishop laughed. "So, you came here for revenge?"

The Turtle's eyes narrowed in anger. "Yes," he answered.

"I didn't think you had it in you, Donatello," said Bishop. "After all, you always struck me as the one who always favored other means of settling scores. Now, Raphael I can see having a vendetta or even Leonardo, but not you."

Donatello smiled. "Then I guess you don't know me as well as you think you do," he said.

"Maybe I don't," said Bishop. "But I don't think killing me is the solution."

"And why not?" Don spat. "You were the one who unleashed those mutants in the sewers! You were the one who turned me into a monster! It's time for your sadistic games to come to an end, and if that means killing you, then that's what I'll do!"

Bishop regarded the Turtle and smiled. He knew that he could use this Turtle to his advantage. "I suppose I do owe you an explanation," he said. "I did cure you of your mutation, but unfortunately, it's only temporary."

Don's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean that the cure I gave you is only a temporary fix," he answered. "It will work for now, but eventually, you'll revert back to your monstrous state once again."

Don processed what the agent was saying. "So, you're telling me that the cure you gave me won't be permanent? How is that possible? How could you have lied to my brothers?"

"I didn't lie to them," Bishop replied. "I thought it was the true cure until a few days after that. My mistake was in blowing up the headquarters, losing all of the samples I had to create the permanent cure. Once I realized my mistake, I knew I had to warn you, but I was afraid you wouldn't' trust me after all I had done to you. But now you have come to me. If I believed in God I would say this is divine intervention, but since I don't, I'd say it was more of a fluke that you came to me."

Don gave a bitter laugh. "So you think me coming to kill you is a good thing?"

"As I said, killing me isn't the solution," Bishop reminded him. "If you kill me, you'll kill any chance you have of curing your state. Do you really want to revert back to that monstrous state again? Do you want to put your family at risk after everything they did to cure you? How do you think they would feel if they found out what you did to me and that you did it alone without their knowledge?"

The Turtle hesitated at his words, processing what he said. The agent was right. His family would resent him, and if he didn't have the cure, he would die. He couldn't let that happen.

"What do you want me to do then?" he asked.

Bishop smiled. "I need you to help me," he answered. "Together, we can come up with the cure you need to remain whole."

Don was taken aback. "So you want me to work for you?"

"It seems to be a fair trade," Bishop responded. "You work for me and I give you the cure you need. Granted, what you have to do may not be pleasant, but if you want that cure, I suggest that you do what I ask."

Once again, the Turtle hesitated as he processed the agent's words. Bishop could almost see the gears working in Don's mind as he thought about what was being offered.

Finally, Don nodded. "Okay, I'll do it," he said. "But if you double cross me and don't give me the cure I need, then I'll have no choice but to kill you. Are we clear?"

Bishop smiled. "Yes, we're clear, Donatello." He held out his hand, and the Turtle shook it. "Looks like we have a deal."

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to my family."

"Oh, that won't be necessary," Bishop said. "You work for me now, so you will stay here. I'll give you the best lodging and make sure that you have everything you need to be comfortable."

"Then may I at least call them and tell them where I am?" Don asked him.

Bishop shook his head. "No, there's no service here, and even if you did get it, I can't allow it. As long as you work for me, you will do what I want you to do. There will be no contact with your family as it's too dangerous. You might cause an unnecessary war, and I can't allow that to happen if I am to succeed with what I want to do."

"I can't talk to my family? But what if they're worried about me?"

"That's not my concern, Donatello. Sometimes, you have to sacrifice things in order to get what you want. If you want the cure, then you have to abide by my rules. If you don't like it, then you can leave and remain a hideous monster. The choice is yours."

Once again, Don hesitated and then lowered his head in defeat. "Okay, I'll do as you ask," he replied.

"Good. Let me show you to your quarters then."

As he led Don away, Bishop smiled to himself. This was a brilliant plan, and it served the purpose he wanted. As long as Donatello believed that he would remain a monster if he didn't get a true cure, he was putty in Bishop's hands. How stupid these freaks were sometimes! But in a way, that was the best way for them to be manipulated.

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As Don lay in bed, he couldn't help but curse himself for being so stupid. Of course Bishop wouldn't let him see his family! He was too smart for that! But it still made Don ache to think that he'd never see them again. He took out his Shell Cell and turned it on. He wasn't able to call them, but he gazed at his picture which was a picture of his family. How he wished he could talk to them! He really needed their guidance now. But this was the price he had to pay, a sacrifice he had to make. He gazed at his family, tears filling his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, guys," he whispered. "I'm so sorry I've hurt you, but I have to do this. I love you." Then he turned off the phone and fell asleep, hoping that something good would come of this once and for all.

A/N: And that's the end of another chapter. I'm having so much fun with this little story! So now Don's made a deal with the devil himself! You're probably wondering how Don got there and all of that, right? Well, that'll be answered in chapter five. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Smarter Than the Average Turtle

A/N: The next chapter is finally here! I have to tell you that I will be juggling quite a few other stories that I want to do, so this may not get updated as frequently as my readers want. I apologize for that, but that's the way it goes sometimes. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter as now we'll get to see how Donnie got to Bishop's new base in the first part.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. The 2003 Turtles are property of Mirage Studios. I only own the plot and nothing more than that.

Donatello always took pride in being the smartest of his brothers. When they were younger and Splinter was teaching them educational stuff, Donnie was always the first to answer a question before any of the others unless it had to do with Japanese history or ninjutsu as that was Leo's department. He always took pride in getting good grades and was always happy when Splinter would praise him for his intelligence. Sometimes his brothers would resent him for being so smart, and that often annoyed Donnie. He felt they didn't appreciate him enough for what he could do even though it was his intelligence that had saved their shells many times.

But that didn't matter now. He knew his brothers would be mad at him for what he was about to do. They would more than likely resent him for what he was going to do and call him stupid. Splinter would be heartbroken and would likely give him some sort of punishment if he came back alive from this. And if he didn't, then he knew they'd all be hurt over what he did and sad that he wasn't coming back.

Shaking that thought from his head, Don focused on the computer. He'd hacked into a secret database and had found Bishop's new location. It wasn't far from his other one, and that made Don feel good. He had debated about whether to pay Karai a visit but decided she wasn't worth his time. That honor would go to his older brother since Leo had more issues with her than the rest of them. And since Bishop was the one who had mutated him, he knew it had to end with him.

After getting his location, Don packed some things in his duffel bag and set out. He figured going on foot was out of the question and contemplated which vehicle to use. The Sewer Slider was out of the question, and while he could use the Battle Shell, he wasn't sure the others would like that too much. There remained only the helicopter they had stolen from Bishop. Yes, that would be a fitting way to enter Bishop's base and take him out.

With this settled Don got into the cockpit and started the helicopter. He watched as the doors opened for him to lift off and looked back down at the home that had once been his. Would he ever see it again, or would this be the last time? No, he couldn't think like that. A true ninja didn't let his emotions get in the way of his task, and Don was determined to prove he was just as good of a ninja as his brothers.

Don watched as New York got further away. His thoughts also turned to April and what she would think about this. She'd probably think it was a crazy mission, but she would probably understand why Donnie was doing this. Out of their human friends, April was the one who understood Donnie the most and shared a love of science with him. It was why he had fallen for her even though he had tried his best not to let those feelings get in the way of their friendship. And when April had met Casey, Don had tried to be open-minded to the fact that April liked him even though he thought she deserved much better than Casey Jones. But that didn't matter. Now he had to remain fixed on his goal of destroying the man who had turned him into a mindless beast.

His skin prickled as he approached Bishop's base. He expected to see guards posted there as he landed, but nobody greeted him. He landed the helicopter a fair distance away and then set out on foot to the base. There were a few guards there, but Don took them out easily as he made his way into the compound. The look on Bishop's face when he saw Donnie wasn't too hard to forget. It almost made Don laugh as he took in the Agent's surprise that Don had gotten the best of him.

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Now he sat in his room and contemplated all that Bishop had told him. There was a different cure that would be more permanent than the one Bishop had given them before. If he didn't help Bishop make it, he was doomed to become that monster again, and that was not something he wanted to do. He wanted to be free from this. Although he hated the fact that he had to ally himself with Bishop, he knew it was the best option to save himself from this.

One of Bishop's guards arrived with some food. Don was a bit suspicious at first but realized that Bishop wouldn't kill him now. He needed Donnie for his work, so Don ate the food and savored how good it was. As he ate, his thoughts turned to Mikey who was the best cook in the family. Mikey would probably bond with this cook and make meals that would probably be just as good if not better than this one was. No, he couldn't think of Mikey now. He had a job to do, and mourning about his brothers wasn't going to help him. He had to forget them until his mission was complete.

Don rooted in his duffel until he came up with the copy of _Frankenstein_ that he'd made sure to bring along with some other books. He opened the book and began reading, getting lost in the story and trying to compare it with what was going on now. What would have happened if the monster had allied with Victor Frankenstein? Would Victor have been able to tame him and reform him so he didn't kill people? Or would the monster have eventually killed Victor out of rage?

He was interrupted by a knock and saw Bishop standing there. He figured maybe one of the guards would have summoned him and not Bishop himself. The Agent stood there and just stared at Donnie for a short time.

"What is it, Bishop?" Don asked.

"You're needed in the lab," he answered. He eyed the book Don was reading. "Ah, _Frankenstein_. One of the earliest horror stories out there. What draws you to it?"

"It's just a very engaging book," Don replied. "I've always liked it."

"I see. And I'm sure that you see some similarities to your own situation as well."

"In a manner of speaking," said Don.

"And who do you relate to the most? Do you relate to Victor or the monster?"

"I suppose I relate to both of them in a way. Though I think of you as a more sadistic version of Victor Frankenstein."

"And why is that?"

"Because Victor only did what he did out of curiosity while you tend to do what you do out of a sadistic nature to see others suffer," Don answered.

Bishop laughed. "You couldn't be more wrong," he said. "I do what I do out of curiosity just as Victor did. Sure, some of my experiments may be a bit harsh, but every scientist has to experiment in different ways. I'm sure you've had to do things you didn't like for the good of science."

"No, I never have done anything like you have," Don said firmly. "I would have never tortured Leatherhead like you did. I would have treated him with compassion."

"And that's where you're a fool, Donatello. Compassion has no place in science. Every scientist must be clinical and leave all emotions behind. Isn't that what your sensei taught you about ninjutsu?"

Don gritted his teeth at the mention of his father and a sharp pang hit his stomach. But he did his best to hide it and glared at Bishop. "Yes, but that doesn't mean you have to be cruel to others all of the time. Splinter taught me about honor and always doing what's right no matter what. That's the way we've always been taught, and it has served us well."

"I can see that, but it won't help you all of the time," said Bishop. "But enough chatter for now. Follow me to the lab so I can show you what I want you to do."

Don got up and followed Bishop to his laboratory which was very big. There were a few specimens there, but Don did his best not to look at them. Bishop noted his look and smiled, taking pleasure in the Turtle's discomfort.

"So, what do you need me to do?" Don asked him.

Bishop pointed him to a microscope. "In here is the basic cure I gave your brothers to help you," he said. "Just study it and get a feel for what it is first."

Don put his eye to the microscope and studied what was on the slide. "It definitely seems incomplete because the cells are moving differently," he noted. "It seems they're not as complete as they should be."

"Correct," Bishop replied. "There is a key component missing, and I need you to get it for me."

"Where will I find it?" Don asked.

"Well, it will require you to return to New York to obtain it since Karai's scientist friend Dr. Chaplin has it. All you have to do is retrieve the chemical and bring it back here. But I must warn you not to talk to your brothers and avoid them at all costs if you do see them. You're smart enough to avoid detection, so do all you can to make sure you aren't seen by anyone."

"And that's it?" Don asked. "That's all you need?"

"For now," Bishop replied. "But if that's not the chemical that is needed, we may need to do other things to obtain it."

"Wait, you're not sure that this is the chemical that will produce the cure?" Don asked incredulously.

"Science is all about guessing, my friend. No, I'm not sure this is the one we need, but it's the best that I can do. All you have to do is find the chemical and bring it back here. If it works then we have the cure. If not, then we'll have to try again."

Don was angry at Bishop's tone. This definitely wasn't a good thing to be doing, but he had no choice if he was going to remain as he was. He sighed. "Okay, I'll do it," he said. "When do I go?"

"Tomorrow night seems like a good option," Bishop said. "From what I've gathered, Karai has to go to New Jersey for a business conference, so she won't be in the building. For now, just stay in your room and don't cause trouble."

Don nodded and went back to his quarters. He wasn't keen on the idea of infiltrating Karai's stronghold alone, but he knew if he involved his brothers, Bishop would get mad and their deal would be off. He just had to do this alone and hope that it was the solution he was looking for. And if Bishop was playing him then Don was going to make sure he had his revenge one way or another. With that last thought in his head, he began to read to rid himself of the nervousness that plagued him. He had to be strong like his brothers and do what was necessary to achieve his goal. No more mistakes and no more weakness. He would go out like the warrior he was if it came to that.

This time, there was no turning back.

A/N: And another chapter comes to a close. I hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed writing it. As I said at the beginning, I am juggling other stories so updates for this won't be frequent as I would like them to be. The stories I'll be working on will be the Falling Leaves universe, the Truth and Lies universe (namely Game of Lies since I really want to finish the main saga), and this story. All I ask is that you be patient with me. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Gone Donnie Gone

A/N: So here we come to another chapter in this saga. We all know what's going on with Donnie, but what about the others? This chapter will answer what's been going on with them and how they'll react to Donnie's disappearance. Thanks a million to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me that you're enjoying this story.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. The 2003 Turtles are owned by Mirage Studios. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Splinter awoke to a bad feeling. He looked around, trying to gauge where the feeling was coming from and why it was there. He got out of bed and went to his sons' rooms to check on them. He found Leonardo sleeping peacefully in his room. Raphael was tossing and turning, but he was often a restless sleeper. Michelangelo was mumbling in his sleep about Turtle Titan and defeating evil, which caused Splinter to smile a little. But upon looking in Donatello's room, he found that his son wasn't there. Curious, Splinter went to the lab where his purple-clad son sometimes spent late nights working on inventions and doing research, but there was no light visible under the doorway. The Rat slowly pushed the door open but found that Donatello wasn't there.

With a gasp, Splinter hurriedly woke Leonardo and his other sons.

"What's going on, Sensei?" Leo asked.

"Donatello is gone!" Splinter cried.

"What are you talkin' about?" Raph inquired. "Don's supposed to be in bed."

"He is not here," Splinter answered. "I have looked in his bed and his lab, but he is not there."

Mikey peered around and looked in the lab. "Yep, it's definitely empty," he noted. "But where would Donnie go?"

"Maybe he went to the dump," Raph suggested.

"Not at this time of night," Leo said. "He knows he needs to be in bed for training."

"Maybe he went to some science convention," Mikey suggested.

"There isn't one in town," Leo replied. "And Donnie would know better than to go off like that."

"Well, there is another possibility," Mikey said.

"What's that?" Raph asked him.

"He could be at April's."

Raph whapped Mikey in the head. "Why would you think that? April's asleep by now, and she has strict rules that we can't come over at certain times of the night. Besides, Casey's over there, and I don't think Donnie would want to visit with Casey over there."

Mikey grinned cheekily. "Unless he wanted to get some action," he said.

"I doubt he went to April's," Leo said. "We'd better check the garage."

The Turtles went to the garage, but Don wasn't there. The Battle Shell was in its place as was The Shell Cycle.

"Looks like everything's where it needs to be," Mikey pointed out.

"Not quite," Leo said. "The helicopter's gone."

"You mean the one we stole from Bishop?" Raph asked.

"That's the one," Leo answered.

"It appears Donatello has taken it out," Splinter noted.

"But why would he do that?" Mikey asked.

Splinter was also puzzled as to why his son would take a helicopter and pilot it so late at night. Donatello knew better than to do such a thing without his brothers. What had possessed him to go off and do something like that?

"Maybe he had a reason," Leo noted.

"Like what?" Raph barked.

"Well, he said something about how he was mad at Bishop and wanted him to pay for what he did," Leo explained.

"Yes, he did say something of the sort," Splinter added. "So he obviously left to go and take care of Bishop."

Mikey looked pale. "But why would Donnie do it without telling us?" he asked. "We're a team. We do things together."

"Perhaps he did this because he knew if he told you, you would dissuade him from doing this," Splinter replied.

Leo sighed. "You're right, Sensei," he said. "Donnie definitely would think that."

"So what are we gonna do about it?" Raph demanded. "We can't let Donnie go off and face Bishop alone."

"We'll have to go after him," Leo answered. "It's the only way. Do you want to come with us, Sensei?"

Splinter nodded. "Yes, I think that would be wise."

"Good," Leo said. "Let's go to Donnie's lab and see if we can't find some clues as to where Donnie might be."

Once in the lab, the Turtles turned on Donnie's computer. With a few clicks, Leo was able to find Don's history and found exactly what they were looking for. Spread out before them was Bishop's new base.

"How did you do that, bro?" Mikey asked his older brother.

Leo smiled. "I've been practicing," he said.

Raph whistled. "So Donnie did go to Bishop's base," he said. "We gotta go after him."

With this settled, the Turtles and Splinter prepared themselves for the rest of the day to go after Donnie. There wasn't much they could do at the moment, but once night fell, they would be ready to bring back their brother and just hoped Donnie didn't do anything rash.

"Should we bring Leatherhead?" Mikey asked.

Leo shook his head. "Not a good idea," he replied. "We don't want him to go crazy at the sight of Bishop again."

They continued to plan until it was time to go. Splinter even led them through practice to warm them up and prepare them for the battle ahead. He knew this was going to be a very dangerous mission once they found Donnie. He only hoped that Bishop hadn't harmed his son, and if he had, he was going to pay for what he did. But if Donatello was unharmed, he was definitely going to get punished severely for going off on his own without telling them where he was going.

"I always thought it would Raphael who would sneak out like this, not Donatello," Splinter said to himself. "He has obviously been in distress for some time, and none of us have said anything about it. When we get out of this, I am going to talk to my son and let him know that I am sorry I did not see what was bothering him. I am going to hold him close and never let him go. And then I will punish him for what he has done. I think an essay will do as well as some flips."

When night fell, the Turtles and Splinter made their way to the Battle Shell and got inside. Leo started up the engine and backed out of the garage. He already had the map programmed into the Battle Shell's computer, so it wouldn't be hard to find Bishop's new base and get to Donnie. Splinter sat in the back and kept trying to think of all of the signs of Donatello's new state. He had been feeling better after the cure, but Splinter remembered that his son had been listless and a bit angry about everything. He had changed after they had told him what had happened. Perhaps they shouldn't have said anything and left Donatello to wonder. If they had, none of this would have happened to him, and he never would have sought out Bishop for revenge.

Mikey was humming along with the radio when he gasped. "Dudes, I just saw something!"

"Where?" Leo asked.

"Over there," Mikey pointed.

Leo turned the Battle Shell and followed the direction Mikey had been pointing.

Splinter looked up but saw nothing. Leo stopped the truck in an alley, and they exited the vehicle and made their way to the rooftops. As they were jumping, Splinter suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure and one he hadn't thought he would see.

"Donatello?" he gasped.

A/N: Yep, I'm ending the chapter here on a cliffie. So what will happen next? You'll have to read on and find out. Yeah, I'm evil, I know. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


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